Chopstix to Steaknives

Love Christmas baking? Enter the ‘Ideal Christmas Cake Decorator of the Year’ competition!

2012-11-07T23:50:00.000+00:00

Christmas is a special moment or time where friends/families get together to spend the holidays. It is also a time where the kitchen is one of the best places to be.

Warmth emanating from goodies being baked in the oven to smells of luscious spices adding its mark from stoves, the kitchen really is my favourite place to be.

This year, The Ideal Home Show is introducing a competition with a twist of Christmas spirit in it. What is your favourite Christmas cake? Bake it and bring it to the competition and you might just walk away with the title of 'Ideal Christmas Cake Decorator of the Year'.

Hope to see you there...

Please see below for more details...

This year’s competition will see aspiring cake decorators from around the country decorating stunning Christmas cakes for the chance to be crowned this year’s ‘Ideal Christmas Cake Decorator of the Year’.

The highly anticipated cake decorating competition will ask entrants to create a cake that reflects their ‘Ideal Christmas’.

Whether its big or small, cupcakes or multi-tiered masterpieces, we’re looking for the most novel, exciting and fun Christmas cakes of 2012.

Entrants to the competition are asked to bring their creations to the show’s Christmas Craft Theatre by 2pm on Thursday 16^th November.

The cakes will be entered into the competition to be in with the chance of winning a fantastic range of prizes, and the accolade of the ‘Ideal Christmas Cake Decorator of the Year.’

The cakes will then be judged by our esteemed judging panel, including Tarek Malouf from the Hummingbird Bakery.

The cakes will remain on display for the remainder of the day and prizes will be awarded in a dedicated prize-giving ceremony hosted on the Christmas Craft Theatre at 3.45pm. Contestants are welcome to take their cakes home with them after the award ceremony

The winning entry in the competition will win a £500 M&S Gift Card, a cupcake making master class at Hummingbird Bakery, a 3 course tasting lunch at Gregg Wallace’s Winter Restaurant with two glasses of champagne, a selection of signed cook books and a pair of tickets to the Ideal Home Show 2013!

All entrants will receive free entry on the door for themselves and a guest* to the Ideal Home Show at Christmas, as well as gaining automatic entry into the competition once their cakes have been delivered to the judging area.

The competition is open to everyone, with all ages encouraged.

Website: www.idealhomeshowchristmas.co.uk

Disclosure: Information was provided by Stuart-Higgins Communications.

Stripped Back, Hackney

2012-09-18T22:51:00.000+01:00

What do you say about a chef who went from working as a head chef at Roganic, to subsequently deciding to strip back and pop up at a bare-boned stall at a weekend market? Awesome!

Roganic opened to much fanfare and though I eventually manage to get there, I was a tad too late as Ben Spalding had already left. So I had to wait patiently for his next venture and Stripped Back emerged. After what seemed to be a tiring and exhausting few weeks for me, I managed to free up my Saturday and headed to Broadway Market.

Makeshift tables and stools marked the stall with a 3 person team holding the fort. It is right next to a children's playground which is good for anyone with kids as you can watch your kids playing while you delve into some culinary delights. Arriving at what is considered prime-time lunch hour, I was relieved to discover that there were two empty seats for IJ and I. It didn't take long for us to decide on the 6 course lunch menu at £27.50 instead of the 4 course version.

Take a seat and you initially get served with a ginger ale & beer fizz with heather honey out of a whipper.

It was sweet and refreshing before tucking into some bread and butter. I enjoyed the yoghurt malt loaf which gave a hint of sweetness lingering at the end.

The next three courses were to me the highlights of my meal starting with a roasted & marinated chestnut mushroom, flaked almonds, baby gems and Saint Agur blue cheese. The melted blue cheese played nicely with the flavours of the mushrooms and almonds, blending into a symphony that reminded me of peanut butter.

Rare mackerel, tarragon & raw broccoli came next with ripe figs, dashi broth & fig leaf oil. The dashi broth was really subtle and clean which allowed the mackerel to shine through. I love the fig leaf oil as it added an extra depth. Who would have thought of ripe figs with its sweetness adding another layer. Such creativity and innovation. I was enjoying myself now.

Next was Ben's version of a Maltese dish, rabbit stew. It was one of those comforting and warm the soul type of dish but I felt that it needed just a little more spice kick to it.

From here, we moved onto the desserts starting with blowtorched pineapple, salted caramel, peppered creme fraiche and Oreo's. I love the idea of it though I think it needs a touch of acidity to bring the whole thing together.

I did not enjoy the warm chocolate, muscat grapes, sweetened pinenuts and jersey milk at all. I love pinenuts but the addition of it seemed to throw the whole dessert off balance. A spoon of mango puree and salted peanut butter rounded off the meal. All three desserts seems to play on the salty/sweetness combo and I personally would have preferred more variations. Do I really want three takes on salted caramel, salted peanut butter etc..?

After paying for our 6 course did we discover when we were chatting to another couple that we actually missed a course, which was the pig's cheeks. I think that it was a mixture of both me not looking at the menu to know what to expect and leaving it to the team and the slight confusion of them having to do everything that led to that.

Desserts aside, I truly admire the talent and creations from Ben Spalding and those first few mains were really wonderful. I now wished I had gone back and requested for those pig's cheeks, said to be one of the highlights.

Will I recommend: Yes
Will I come back: Yes
Have I had better: That will be a no for the mains but yes for the desserts

@_strippedback, London Fields Primary School playground, Westgate Street, E8 3RL

River Cafe, Hammersmith

2012-08-12T23:54:00.000+01:00

Ms. Chocoholic raves about the chocolate nemesis and would describe in detail, its loveliness and the pleasure that she experienced when she had it the first time. She said that we should try it where it originally came from and It didn't take much convincing after where we found ourselves heading to The River Cafe.

With the sun shining and kids and people enjoying the al fresco seating outside, you couldn't help but be in a jolly mood. Exuding an antipodean cafe vibe, we were relaxed and in a good mood.

The Calamai al Ferri £15 was simple, clean and fresh.

Agnoli di Coniglio - pasta stuffed with rabbit slow-cooked with spring garlic and Franz Haas Pinot Nero £14

Tagliatelle di Asparagi con Fonduta - pasta with asparagus, cream, egg yolk and parmesan £14

Dover Sole wood roasted with Capers & Marjoram with slow-cooked Florence Fennel and large leaf rocket £34

Blue Lobster split & wood roasted with Wild Oregano, Chilli & Lemon with Crushed Potatoes, Spring Peas & Wild Watercress £45

Lamb with Salsa Rosso Piccante, Borlotti di Lamon & Chargrilled Leeks £31

Overall, each dish was tasty and the flavours were clean and balanced though it wasn't brilliant. For the prices charged, I would expect it to be justified by either the ingredients to be of really good quality that simplicity cooking is used to allow the natural flavours to sing through or cooking techniques and flavours were paired for something delicious. It was neither for me.

We now arrived at desserts and the infamous chocolate nemesis was ordered amongst others.

I have to say that Ms. Chocoholic's description sounded better than it tasted.

Chocolate Nemesis £9

Lemon Tart £8

Ricotta with Grappa & Champagne Rhubarb

We still had a great time but the company was more memorable than the food itself.

Will I recommend: Yes

Will I come back: No

Have I had better: Yes

River Cafe, Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, London W6 9HA